Distributed computing system that practically applies networked computing technology and machine-readable indicia to support traceability of products from providers to clients

ABSTRACT

A distributed computing system is disclosed that practically applies networked computing technology and machine-readable indicia to support traceability of products from providers to clients, the system comprising a plurality of distributed computers for connection over a network regarding a product identified by machine-readable indicia, for which a record is maintained in memory, and which is distributed through a supply chain that includes the provider, a transporting entity, an aggregation facility, a back haul provider, a distribution facility, and the client. The distributed computers include first, second, third, and fourth computers that cooperate with each other to support compliance with client rules and tracking of the order from the provider to the client through the participants in the supply chain via the machine-readable indicia and associations that are created in the memory to link the product with its passage through the supply chain.

CROSS-REFERENCE AND PRIORITY CLAIM TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/621,566, filed Feb. 13, 2015, and entitled “AGRICULTUREDISTRIBUTION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference, and where the '566 patent applicationclaims priority to (1) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/940,013 filed Feb. 14, 2014, and entitled “AGRICULTURE DISTRIBUTIONAND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” and (2) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.62/011,684 filed Jun. 13, 2014, and entitled “AGRICULTURE PRODUCTTRACKING SYSTEM AND METHODS OF PERFORMING THE SAME”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As environmental and sustainability issues grow in importance aroundfood, and corporations commit to making their sustainable purchases apercentage of their total buying commitment, more organizations aremoving to buying consumable products from local suppliers to putvaluable dollars back into the local economies that support theirbusiness, and minimize carbon emissions. Conventional distributionsystems are not structured to fill orders that are farm and producerspecific, even though customers increasingly demand full traceability,farm/source-identified product, and adherence to specific breedingpractices. For example, conventional computer systems in a supply chainfor distribution of agricultural products involve siloed computers usedby participants where each participant's computer maintains its ownrecords with little or no coordination of their records among otherparticipants in the supply chain. This means that each participant inthe supply chain is focused only on its limited purview and has limitedknowledge of the overall supply chain. Moreover, there are technicalproblems that inhibit the integration of these siloed records as thereis little to no inter-compatibility between the records that would allowfor reliable supply chain tracing. Further, many farmers, producers andprocessors do not have access to distributors and customers looking topurchase locally grown, sustainable and responsibly grown/raisedproducts. Lastly, schools, universities and hospitals all require strictadherence to USDA guidelines on issues around food safety, such asdelivery of product in a refrigerated truck, that are not possible for asmall farmer. They also have difficulty finding and vetting out farmsthat raise meats responsibly (antibiotic-free, gestation and crate free,free range, etc.) on their own.

Current distributions system consolidate items together independent ofthe source of the item preventing the tracking of items by source.

A need exists for system that will allow clients to order locally grownproducts, responsibly raised meats, and organics that can besource-identified, and have them shipped to the clients location bytheir contracted distributor. Further still, there are technical needsin the art for computer systems that provide reliable supply chaintracing of agricultural products from providers to clients.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As a technical solution to these technical shortcomings in the art, theinventor discloses a distributed computing system that practicallyapplies networked computing technology and machine-readable indicia tosupport traceability of products from providers to clients.

As a first example embodiment, this system comprises a plurality ofdistributed computers for connection over a network, the distributedcomputers including first, second, third, and fourth computers. Thefirst computer comprises a memory, and the first computer is configuredto (1) receive an order for a product with respect to a client and (2)store data about the order in the memory, the client having a pluralityof associated client rules.

The first computer is also configured to select a provider for theproduct. The second computer includes a printer, the printer configuredto print a machine-readable indicia to be adhered to the product or acontainer for the product, wherein the machine-readable indiciacomprises a product identifier, wherein the product identifier encodes(1) provider information that identifies the selected provider, (2)location information that identifies a location of the selectedprovider, and (3) product information that identifies the product, andwherein the second computer is configured to communicate the productidentifier over the network to the first computer. The first computer isfurther configured to (1) associate the order with the productidentifier in the memory and (2) associate the product information fromthe product identifier with a product type in the memory.

The first computer is also configured to associate the order with atransport identifier, wherein the transport identifier identifies anentity transporting the product from the provider to an aggregationfacility. The third computer, following a receipt of the product by theaggregation facility, is configured to communicate an aggregationfacility identifier for association with the product identifier to thefirst computer over the network, wherein the aggregation facilityidentifier identifies the aggregation facility that received theproduct; and the first computer is further configured to associate theorder with the aggregation facility in the memory.

The first computer is further configured to associate the order with aback haul provider identifier, wherein the back haul provider identifieridentifies a back haul provider for delivering the product from theaggregation facility to a distribution facility.

The fourth computer, following a receipt of the product by thedistribution facility, is further configured to communicate adistribution facility identifier and a distribution location identifierfor association with the product identifier to the first computer overthe network, wherein the distribution facility identifier identifies thedistribution facility that received the product, and wherein thedistribution location identifier identifies a location in thedistribution facility where the product is stored. The first computer isfurther configured to (1) associate the order with the distributionfacility identifier and the distribution location identifier, (2)determine whether the location identified by the distribution locationidentifier is in compliance with the client rules, and (3) in responseto a determination that the location identified by the distributionlocation identifier is not in compliance with the client rules,electronically notify the provider that a replacement of the product isrequired. The first computer may also respond to this determination ofrule non-compliance by electronically notifying the client that deliveryof the product may be delayed.

With this first example embodiment, the first, second, third, and fourthcomputers cooperate with each other to support compliance with theclient rules and tracking of the order from the provider to the clientthrough the transporting entity, aggregation facility, back haulprovider, distribution facility, and distribution location via themachine-readable indicia and the associations in the memory. As such,this first example embodiment practically applies computer technologyand machine-readable indicia to yield a distributed computing systemthat combines a centralized data record in the memory with a distributedupdate process for the centralized data record whereby the differentdistributed computers augment the centralized data record with theirrespective information about handling of the product by the provider,transporting entity, aggregation facility, back haul provider, anddistribution facility (including the location in the distributionfacility where the subject product is stored). Through such a hybridizedcombination of centralized records and the use of distributed computersto generate updates to those records, the first example embodimentserves as an unconventional and significant innovative technical advancein the art that improves upon conventional computer systems in the artas discussed above. Moreover, by using machine-readable indicia toreliably identify the product in combination with identifiers that canbe shared by other participants in the supply chain, this centralizedrecord can accurately and quickly reflect the current state and historyof a given product in the supply chain. This helps reduces networkcongestion and improves the efficiency of the distributed computingsystem. For example, because the centralized record can be updated onthe fly as each participant augments the relevant record with itscontribution to the status of the subject product, a user who wants toascertain the supply chain history of a given product merely needs toaccess and read the centralized record. There is no need for the systemto attempt to construct the supply chain history in response to the userrequest by issuing record requests about the subject product over acomputer network to the respective computer systems of participants inthe supply chain, waiting for responses to those record requests, andthen interpreting and assembling such responses into a current view ofthe supply chain. Moreover, due to the efficiency and reliability ofthis innovative approach to computer network-based distributed updatesof centralized records, the ability to enforce client rules regardingaspects of the supply chain can be implemented in an efficient mannerthat avoids unnecessary network congestion.

Further still, the system of the first example embodiment may furtherinclude additional machine-readable indicia to facilitate the producttracking in coordination with the record updating. For example, thesystem may further include (1) second machine-readable indicia foradherence at the distribution facility, wherein the secondmachine-readable indicia encodes the distribution facility identifier,wherein the fourth computer includes a reader, wherein the reader isconfigured to read the second machine-readable indicia to gather thedistribution facility identifier for communication to the firstcomputer, (2) third machine-readable indicia for adherence at thelocation in the distribution facility where the product is stored,wherein the third machine-readable indicia encodes the distributionlocation identifier, and wherein the reader is further configured toread the third machine-readable indicia to gather the distributionlocation identifier for communication to the first computer, (3) fourthmachine-readable indicia for adherence at the aggregation facility,wherein the fourth machine-readable indicia encodes the aggregationfacility identifier, wherein the third computer includes another reader,and wherein the another reader is further configured to read the fourthmachine-readable indicia to gather the aggregation facility identifierfor communication to the first computer, (4) fifth machine-readableindicia for adherence to equipment used by the entity to transport theproduct from the provider to the aggregation facility, wherein the fifthmachine-readable indicia encodes a transport identifier, wherein a fifthcomputer that is communication with the network includes a reader,wherein this reader is configured to read the fifth machine-readableindicia to gather the transport identifier for communication by thefifth computer to the first computer over the network for associationwith the product identifier, (5) sixth machine-readable indicia foradherence to equipment used by the back haul provider to deliver theproduct from the aggregation facility to the distribution facility,wherein the sixth machine-readable indicia encodes the back haulprovider identifier, wherein a sixth computer that is communication withthe network includes a reader, wherein this reader is configured to readthe sixth machine-readable indicia to gather the back haul provideridentifier for communication by the sixth computer to the first computerover the network for association with the product identifier, and/or (6)seventh machine-readable indicia for adherence at a location of theclient, wherein the seventh machine-readable indicia encodes a clientidentifier, wherein a seventh computer that is communication with thenetwork includes a reader, wherein this reader is configured to read theseventh machine-readable indicia to gather the client identifier forcommunication by the seventh computer to the first computer over thenetwork for association with the product identifier to thereby associatethe order with the client identifier to confirm delivery of the productto the client. Through the use of such additional machine-readableindicia in combination with the distributed update process for thecentralized record, the reliability of the supply tracing is furtherenhanced and made more efficient.

In a second example embodiment, the system comprises a plurality ofdistributed computers for connection over a network, the distributedcomputers including first, second, third, and fourth computers. Thefirst computer comprises a memory, and the first computer is configuredto (1) receive an order for a product with respect to a client and (2)store data about the order in the memory, the client having a pluralityof associated client rules.

The first computer is also configured to select a provider for theproduct. The second computer includes a printer, the printer configuredto print a machine-readable indicia to be adhered to the product or acontainer for the product, wherein the machine-readable indiciacomprises a product identifier, wherein the product identifier encodes(1) provider information that identifies the selected provider, (2)location information that identifies a location of the selectedprovider, and (3) product information that identifies the product, andwherein the second computer is configured to communicate the productidentifier over the network to the first computer. The first computer isfurther configured to (1) associate the order with the productidentifier in the memory and (2) associate the product information fromthe product identifier with a product type in the memory.

The first computer is also configured to associate the order with atransport identifier, wherein the transport identifier identifies anentity transporting the product from the provider to an aggregationfacility. The third computer, following a receipt of the product by theaggregation facility, is further configured to communicate anaggregation facility identifier for association with the productidentifier to the first computer over the network, wherein theaggregation facility identifier identifies the aggregation facility thatreceived from the product; and the first computer is further configuredto associate the order with the aggregation facility in the memory.

The fourth computer, following a receipt of the product by adistribution facility, is further configured to communicate adistribution facility identifier for association with the productidentifier to the first computer over the network, wherein thedistribution facility identifier identifies the distribution facilitythat received the product. The first computer is further configured to(1) associate the order with the distribution facility identifier andthe distribution location identifier, (2) select a location in thedistribution facility from among a plurality of locations in thedistribution facility for storing the product in accordance with theclient rules, and (3) electronically notify the distribution facilitythat the product must be stored in the selected location.

The first computer is further configured to (1) track the product byreading the product identifier and at least one of the other identifiersduring the delivery of the product from the provider to the distributionfacility, wherein each identifier is encoded by one of a bar code, RFIDtag or smart tag, (2) determine based on the tracking whether the clientrules have been violated, and (3) in response to a determination thatthe client rules have been violated, electronically notify the providerthat a replacement of the product is required. The first computer mayalso electronically notify the client that delivery of the product maybe delayed if there is a determination that the client rules have beenviolated. Accordingly, the second example embodiment also yieldssignificant technical benefits over conventional systems in the art asdiscussed above in connection with the first example embodiment. Furtherstill, the second example embodiment may employ additionalmachine-readable indicia as discussed above to further improve thereliability and efficiency of the system.

As another example embodiment, the inventor discloses a productmanagement unit that includes a processor, a memory, an identifiergenerating unit and an identifier reading unit with the memory operatinga program executing the steps of retrieving a plurality of rulesrelating to the production and delivery of a product from a producer toa client, selecting at least one provider based on the plurality ofrules to provide the product in compliance with the client rules,selecting a facility to aggregate the product from the at least oneprovider based on the client rules, selecting a distributor to deliverthe product to the client from a distribution facility to the clientbased the client rules, selecting a backhaul provider to deliver theproduct from the aggregation facility to the distribution facility basedon the client rules, generating a unique identifier for the product andaffixing the unique identifier to the product or a container holding theproduct, associating the unique identifier with the provider, facility,distributor and back haul provider, and monitoring the movement of theproduct to confirm compliance.

In another example embodiment, a unique identifier is assigned to theproduct by the product management unit.

In another example embodiment, a unique identifier is assigned to theprovider by the product management unit.

In another example embodiment, a product code is generated based on theproduct identifier and the provider identifier.

In another example embodiment, the product management unit also performsthe step of selecting a location in a distribution center of adistributor for quarantining the product before delivery to thecustomer.

In another example embodiment, the product management unit applies atleast one distributor rule in selecting a distributor to deliver theproduct to the client.

In another example embodiment, the product management unit applies atleast one back haul provider rule in selecting a back haul provider todeliver the product to the client.

In another example embodiment, the product is produce.

In another example embodiment, the client rule includes information onthe geographical region from which the products must originate.

Another example embodiment includes a product management systemincluding a product management unit that includes a processor, a memory,an identifier generating unit and an identifier reading unit with thememory operating a program executing the steps of assigning a product aproduct identifier; generating the product identifier and affixing theproduct identifier to the product, associating a provider identifierwith the product identifier; generating a transfer identifier for adevice transporting the product and affixing the identifier to thetransfer device; associating the transport identifier to the productidentifier, generating an aggregation identifier for an aggregationfacility where the product is stored, associating the aggregationidentifier with the product identifier; generating a distributionidentifier for a distribution facility storing the product, andassociating the distribution identifier with the product identifier,where the product management unit tracks the location of the product byreading the product identifier and at least one other identifier duringthe delivery of the product.

In another example embodiment, the aggregation facility is determinedbased on the provider identifier and product identifier.

In another example embodiment, the transport device is determined basedon the product identifier read and the determined aggregation facility.

In another example embodiment, the product management unit determines alocation for storage in the aggregation facility based on the productidentifier read.

In another example embodiment, the product management unit performs thestep of reading an aggregate facility location identifier identifyingthe location in the aggregation facility where the product is sold.

In another example embodiment, the product management unit confirms theaggregate facility location identifier is the same as the aggregationfacility location assigned by the product management unit.

In another example embodiment, each identifier is a bar code.

In another example embodiment, each identifier is one of a bar code,RFID tag or smart tag.

In another example embodiment, each identifier is of a different format.

In another example embodiment, the product is produce.

In another example embodiment, the product is poultry.

These and other features and advantages of the invention are describedhereinafter with reference to the drawings as would be understood bythose skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Details of the present invention, including non-limiting benefits andadvantages, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skillin the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed descriptionand accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an Agricultural Product ManagementSystem suitable for use with the methods and systems consistent with theinstant disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows a more detailed depiction of a computer of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 shows a more detailed depiction of additional computers of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative example of the operation of theAgricultural Product Management System of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative example of the operation of theAgricultural Product Management System of FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 6 depicts another illustrative example of the operation of theAgricultural Product Management System of FIG. 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

While various embodiments of the present invention are described herein,it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that many moreembodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scopeof this invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to berestricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.

Described herein is a system for managing the distribution ofagricultural products based on a plurality of rules which will allow forthe tracking of an item through an entire distribution channel based onthe source of the item. The system receives orders for products fromclients along with specific rules related to the products, analyzes thedistribution rules that apply for each product, generates a list ofproviders, distributors and aggregation facilities based on the rulesassociated with each client or product and monitors the delivery of theproducts to the end location. By tracking items based on source andrules defined by a customer, the process of delivering source specificitems is improved, as the source of the product can be confirmed upondelivery to the client.

Systems currently in use do not allow for the tracking of a product,such as produce, based on the source of the product. Instead,distributors aggregate products together and deliver the products tocustomers independent of the source of the product. With the rise inimportance of locally sourced products, the need to determine whatproducts are locally sourced has become critical. By identifying andtracking a product from the source of the product through the deliver,clients can confirm the products they are purchasing are locallysourced.

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an Agricultural Product ManagementSystem (“APM”) 100 suitable for use with the systems consistent with thepresent disclosure. The APM 100 comprises a plurality of computers 102,104, 106 and 108 connected via a network 110. The network 110 is of atype that is suitable for connecting the computers for communication,such as a circuit-switched network or a packet switched network. Also,the network 110 may include a number of different networks, such as alocal area network, a wide area network such as the Internet, telephonenetworks including telephone networks with dedicated communicationlinks, connection-less network, and wireless networks. In theillustrative example shown in FIG. 1 , the network 110 is the Internet.Each of the computers 102, 104, 106 and 108 shown in FIG. 1 is connectedto the network 110 via a suitable communication link, such as adedicated communication line or a wireless communication link.

In an illustrative example, computer 102 serves as a ProductDistribution Unit (“PDU”) that includes a provider management unit 112,an order management unit 114, a distributor management unit 116 and arules management unit 118. The number of computers and the networkconfiguration shown in FIG. 1 are merely an illustrative example. Onehaving skill in the art will appreciate that the APS 100 may include adifferent number of computers and networks. For example, computer 102may include the provider management unit 112 as well as one or more ofthe order management unit 114 and rules management unit 118. Further,the distributor management unit 116 may reside on a different computerthan computer 102.

FIG. 2 shows a more detailed depiction of the computer 102. The computer102 comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 202, an input output (IO)unit 204, a display device 206 communicatively coupled to the IO Unit204, a secondary storage device 208, and a memory 210. The computer 202may further comprise standard input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse,a digitizer, or a speech processing means (each not illustrated).

The computer 102′s memory 210 includes a Graphical User Interface(“GUI”) 212 that is used to gather information from a user via thedisplay device 206 and 110 unit 204 as described herein. The GUI 212includes any user interface capable of being displayed on a displaydevice 206 including, but not limited to, a web page, a display panel inan executable program, or any other interface capable of being displayedon a computer screen. The GUI 212 may also be stored in the secondarystorage unit 208. In one embodiment consistent with the presentinvention, the GUI 212 is displayed using commercially availablehypertext markup language (“HTML”) viewing software such as, but notlimited to, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome or any othercommercially available HTML viewing software. The secondary storage unit208 may include an information storage unit 214. The information storageunit may be a relational database such as, but not including Microsoft'sSQL, Oracle or any other database. An identifier generating unit 216 maybe communicatively coupled to the IO unit 204. The identifier generatingunit 216 may be a device capable of generating an identifier such as abar code printer, a smart tag printer and encoder or any other type ofidentifier generator.

FIG. 3 shows a more detailed depiction of the computers 104, 106 and108. Each computer 104, 106 and 108 comprises a central processing unit(CPU) 302, an input output (10) unit 304, a display device 306communicatively coupled to the IO Unit 304, a secondary storage device308, and a memory 310. Each computer 104, 106 and 108 may furthercomprise standard input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, adigitizer, or a speech processing means (each not illustrated).

Each computer 104, 106 and 108′s memory 310 includes a GUI 312 which isused to gather information from a user via the display device 306 and IOunit 304 as described herein. The GUI 312 includes any user interfacecapable of being displayed on a display device 306 including, but notlimited to, a web page, a display panel in an executable program, or anyother interface capable of being displayed on a computer screen. The GUI312 may also be stored in the secondary storage unit 208. In oneembodiment consistent with the present invention, the GUI 312 isdisplayed using commercially available HTML viewing software such as,but not limited to, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome or anyother commercially available HTML viewing software. An identifiergenerating unit 314 may be communicatively coupled to the IO unit 304.The identifier generating unit 314 may be a device capable of generatingan identifier such as a bar code printer, a smart tag printer andencoder or any other type of identifier generator. An identifiergathering unit 316 may also be communicatively coupled to the IO unit304. The identifier gathering unit 316 may be a bar code reader, a smartcard reader, an RFID reader, a camera or any other identifier gatheringdevice.

FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative example of the operation of the AMS 100.In step 402, the order management unit 114 receives an order for anagricultural product such as, but not limited to, produce includingfruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, dairy products including milk,cheese, yogurt or any other agricultural product. The order may bereceived via a web page, e-mail, text message or by any other means ofordering a product. The order may indicate the quantity of one or moreproducts that must be delivered to the client or distributor. In oneembodiment, the order management unit 114 posts a listing of availableproducts and associated products and a client enters in the amount ofeach product for the order. In step 404, the order management unit 114retrieves the client information from the order. The order managementunit 114 may also retrieve some of the client information from theinformation storage unit 214, from the order message or from the clientwhen the order is placed. The client information may include, the clientname, address, phone number, location the order was placed, location orlocations where the order must be delivered, the distributor ordistributors associated with the client, or any other informationpertaining to the client. In one embodiment, the distributor isidentified in the order. In another embodiment, a listing ofdistributors in the information storage unit 214 is associated with theclient and can be applied to fill the order based on the client rules.The client may include, but is not limited to, health care facilitiessuch as hospitals, institutions such as schools, universities,government agencies, nursing homes, extended care facilities, or anyother facility provided products to a consumer.

In step 406, the distribution management unit 116 retrieves informationfrom the information storage unit 214 for each distributor associatedwith the client or the distributor named in the order. The distributorinformation may include, but is not limited to, the name and address ofthe distributor, the region the distributor operates, and any otherinformation associated with the distributor. In step 408, the ordermanagement unit 114 retrieves pricing from producers to fill each orderfrom the client or distributor. In one embodiment, the pricing of theproduct is retrieved from the information storage unit 214. Consistentwith this embodiment, each producer may enter in the available productsand associated pricing into the information storage unit 214, and thedistribution management unit 116 may retrieve the pricing informationfor the products included in each order. In one embodiment, the ordermanagement unit 114 transmits a message, such as an e-mail message,requesting a provider to provide a quotation for the products identifiedin the order. In another embodiment, the order management unit 114 onlyallows preapproved providers to provide pricing and available productsto a specific client, or distributor. Each request for quote may includea listing of requirements based on the rules associated with theproduct, client or distributor.

In step 410, the provider management unit 112 retrieves information fromthe information storage unit 214 on each of the providers responding theto the request for quotation or posting available products from theorder management unit 114. The provider information may include, but isnot limited to, the provider address, equipment information related tothe production, delivery or storage of the product or geographicalinformation of the provider. In step 412, the order management unit 114retrieves the rules from the information storage unit 214 associatedwith each distributor. The rules define requirements for fulfillment ofthe order such as condition of the product, the delivery method of theproduct, the quantity of product delivered in a single shipment, thegeographic location where the producer must reside, the number ofproducers that can provide products for the order or any otherrestriction placed on the delivery or receipt of the product by thedistributor. The order management unit 114 may apply differentdistributor or client rules depending on the type of product ordered.The client and distributor rules may also include requirements for foodquality, storage and deliver that are required under federal or statelaw or under any federal or state food safety regulations.

In step 414, the order management unit 114 retrieves rules from theinformation storage unit 214 pertaining to the client. The rules definerestrictions on the provider filling the order and the method ofdelivery from the distributor to the client or from the producer to thedistributor. The client rules may also define an area or region wherethe producer must reside or the residency, ethnicity, economicbackground or any other demographic defining the producer of theproduct. As an illustrative example, an order may relate to the sourcingof organic products, and sustainable and responsibly-raised meats,including, but not limited to meats raised without antibiotics,free-range animals, and animals raised gestation and breedingcrate-free. The order management system 114 would apply rules specificto the gathering and distribution of organic products such as theidentification of specific agricultural practices that are requiredbefore a product can be labeled “organic.” The rules may be entered intothe system by the client, distributor or by a third party. In oneembodiment, the order management system 114 allows a client to specifythe standard or regulation governing the product and the ordermanagement system 114 will associate and apply predetermined producerand distributor rules for the order.

In step 416, the order management unit 114 compares the distributorrules to the client information to determine if the provider is eligibleto provide the product. In comparing the distributor rules to thecustomer rules, the order management unit 114 may determine if theequipment, route, product to be delivered or other characteristics ofthe distributor satisfy the rules associated with the product by theclient. In step 418, if the information does not match at least one ofthe distributor rules, the order management unit 114 declines thequotation from the distributor and selects a new distributor from thelist of distributors providing quotations. In step 420, if thedistributor rule matches the client rules, the order management unit 114compares the provider information to the client rules. If theinformation does not match the client information, the order managementunit 114 declines the quotation from the provider and selects the nextprovider.

In step 422, if the provider information matches the client informationand the distributor information, the order management unit 114 acceptsthe order from the provider. The order may be accepted by transmittingan order acceptance message to the provider. The order acceptancemessage may include instructions on the date and method of delivery ofthe product to the distributor. In step 424, the distribution managementunit 116 retrieves information from the information storage unit 214 onaggregation locations associated with the distributor. The aggregationfacilities are locations where producers deliver and store theirdeliveries before being picked up by the distributors. The aggregationfacilities may house multiple orders for multiple clients anddistributors at one time. The information on the aggregation facilitymay include information on the type of products stored at the facility,the amount of space and type of space available at the aggregationfacility or any other information associated with the aggregationfacility.

In step 426, the distribution management unit 116 selects an aggregationfacility associated with the distributor that meets the client rules. Instep 428, the distribution management unit 116 selects a method ofdelivery from the aggregation facility to the distribution facility orbackhaul method. The backhaul method may be based on the client rulesand distributor rules. In selecting the backhaul method, thedistribution management unit 116 selects a backhaul provider thatcomplies with the distribution and client rules. The backhaul providermay be the product provider, the distributor or another third party whodelivers the product from the aggregation facility to the distributionfacility.

In step 430, the order management unit 114 transmits deliveryinformation to the provider. The delivery information may include thelocation and time of the delivery to the aggregation facility, themethod of delivery to the aggregation facility or any other informationconcerning the delivery of the product to the aggregation facility. Instep 432, the distribution management unit 116 receives confirmation ofthe delivery to the aggregation facility. The confirmation may includethe date, time, location and a description of the condition of theproduct when delivered to the aggregation facility. In step 434, theorder management unit 114 transmits a delivery ready message, such as ane-mail or text message, to the distributor and backhaul providernotifying the distributor and backhaul provider of the availability ofthe product at the aggregation facility. The delivery ready confirmationmay include information on the delivery of the products from theaggregation facility including the delivery method, time and date ofpick-up of the product, the location in the distribution facility wherethe products are to be stored, and any other information concerning thepick-up of the product by the distributor.

In step 436, the order management unit 114 determines a sort and orderprocess for the product before it is shipped by the backhaul provider.The sort and order process may include steps to perform in order to sorta product into different groups and the order which the products will beloaded and shipped by the backhaul provider. In step 438, the ordermanagement unit 114 retrieves information from the information storageunit 214 concerning the pick-up of the product by the backhaul provider.The pick-up information may include the date and time of the pick-up ofthe product, the condition of the product at pick or any otherinformation related to the pick-up of the product. In step 440, thedistribution management unit 116 confirms the location of the product inthe distribution facility via the backhaul provider or distributor. Thedistribution management unit 116 may record the time and date of thedelivery of the product to the distribution facility and location in thedistribution facility where the product is stored. The distributionmanagement unit 116 may also confirm the product is properly configuredand stored in the distribution facility. As an illustrative example, ifthe order calls for individual bags of 30 carrots, the distributionmanagement unit 116 may gather information from the distributionfacility from the information storage unit 214 confirming theconfiguration of the order is correct. Further, the distributionmanagement unit 116 may notify the distributor of each group of productsthat must be quarantined from other products before delivery to theclient.

In step 442, the distribution management unit 116 notifies thedistributor to deliver the product to the client location or locations.The distribution management unit 116 may notify the client of thepending delivery. The client notification may include the proposed dateand time of the delivery, the products to be delivered. The distributionmanagement unit 116 may transmit a confirmation of delivery notificationafter the product has been successfully delivered to the client. Afterthe product is delivered to the client, the distribution management unit116 may indicate that the area previously occupied in the distributionfacility by the delivered product is available to receive new products.The distribution management unit 116 may notify the distributor if allavailable space allocated for the products in the warehouse becomeunavailable. The distribution management unit 116 may also reroute thebackhaul provider to another distribution facility should all space inone distribution facility become full.

In one embodiment, the provider management unit 112 may record eachquotation from a producer that is declined for lack of compliance with arule. The provider management unit 112 may notify the provider ofadjustments to procedures or additional of new equipment that wouldresult in a high acceptance rate of the quotations. In anotherembodiment, the provider management unit 112 may track the productcondition and delivery times of the provider and alert the provider oflate deliveries or low product quality. The product condition may bedetermined by monitoring various sensors included with the deliver or byphysical inspection of the product at various points during thedelivery. The provider management unit 112 may also rate each providerbased on the delivery timeliness, the condition of the product atdelivery, the level of compliance with client and distributor rules foreach delivery or any other characteristic related to the delivery of theproduct by the producer. The provider management unit 112 may associateeach producer with a specific geographic region, state, county, city orother geographic information. The provider management unit 112 mayassociate producers with specific distributors and clients based on theproducers compliance with the rules of each distributor or client. Inanother embodiment, the provider management unit 112 may associatespecific products produced by a producer with a distributor or clientbased on the level of compliance of the individual product with thedistributor or client rules. The distribution management unit 116 maygenerate a series of reports demonstrating a client's compliance with afederal or state food program such as a farm to school lunch program.

In one embodiment, an order may be delivered to multiple aggregationfacilities and distribution facilities. In another embodiment, multipledistributors and backhaul providers may be utilized to fill an order.Consistent with this embodiment, the distribution management unit 116will analyze the order in view of the load capacity of each distributorto determine if the product needs to be delivered using multiple backhaulers or distributors.

FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative example of the operation of the APM 100.In step 502, a product identifier related to a product is generated bythe product management unit 114. The product identifier may be any knownidentifier including, but not limited to, a bar code, a quick responsecode, a radio frequency identifier (“RFID”) tag or any other type ofidentifier. The identifier may include information on the provider ofthe product, the type of product and other information on the product.As an illustrative example, the product identifier may be a bar codethat includes a provider code identifying the provider of the productand a product code identifying the product associated with theidentifier. The product identifier may be added into the system usingany known method including, typing the identifier into the system usinga keypad, capturing an image of the identifier or using a identifierreader to read the identifier into the system. The identifier may begenerated by the identifier generating unit 216 or 314. After theidentifier is generated, the identifier may be adhered to the product ora container holding the product to identify the product and its source.

In step 504, the order management unit 114 identifies the provider codein the product identifier and associates the product identifier with theprovider code in the information storage unit 214. The provider code mayinclude a location code that indicates the location of the provider. Inone embodiment, the provider code is associated with locationinformation of the provider such as name and address of the provider. Inanother embodiment, the region of the country where the provider residesmay also be associated with the provider in the information storage unit214. In step 506, the order management unit 114 identifies the productcode in the product identifier and associates the product identifierwith a product type in the information storage unit 214.

In step 508, the distribution management unit 116 generates a transportidentifier for the entity transporting the product from the supplier tothe aggregation facility and associates the transport identifier withthe product identifier in the information storage unit 214. Thetransport identifier is a unique code or codes, such as a bar code, QRcode or RFID tag that identifies the entity transporting the product.The transport identifier may include information such as the identity ofthe company transporting the product, the driver transporting theproduct, the type of equipment used to transport the product, and anyother information related to the delivery of the product to theaggregation facility. The identifier may be generated by the identifiergenerating unit 216 or 314. After the identifier is generated, theidentifier may be adhered to the equipment transporting the product toidentify the entity transporting the product. If the equipmenttransporting the product has previously been allocated an identifier,the identifier reading unit 316 may read the identifier for use as thetransport identifier.

In step 510, the order management unit 14 associates the productidentifier and transportation identifier with a specific order in thesystem. The product identifier and transportation identifier may berelated to more than one order, and the transportation identifier may berelated to more than one product and order.

In step 512, upon arrival at the aggregation facility, the distributionmanagement unit 116 generates an aggregation facility identifier fromthe aggregation facility. The aggregation facility identifier may begathered using any known technique including, but not limited to,scanning an aggregation facility identifier into system using a bar codescanner or RFID reader. The aggregation facility identifier identifiesthe aggregation facility receiving the product. The aggregation facilityidentifier is associated with the order, product identifier andtransportation identifier in the information storage unit 214. In step514, after the product is stored in the aggregation facility, anaggregation location identifier is entered into the system. Theaggregation location identifier identifies the location in theaggregation facility where the product is stored. Each order, or productin the order, may be associated with more than one aggregation locationidentifier. In one embodiment, the aggregation facility identifier andthe aggregation location identifier are the same identifier. Theidentifier may be generated by the identifier generating unit 216 or314. After the identifier is generated, the identifier may be adhered tothe aggregation facility or to a structure associated with theaggregation facility to identify the aggregation facility where theproduct is stored. If the aggregation facility has previously beenallocated an identifier, the identifier reading unit 316 may read theidentifier for use as the aggregation facility identifier.

In step 516, the distribution management unit 116 generates a back haulprovider identifier identifying the back haul provider delivering theproduct to a distribution facility. Distribution management unit 116receives the back haul identifier into the system and associates theproduct identifier, aggregation facility identifier and aggregationlocation identifier with the order. After the identifier is generated,the identifier may be adhered to the equipment transporting the productto identify the entity transporting the product. If the equipmenttransporting the product has previously been allocated an identifier,the identifier reading unit 316 may read the identifier for use as theback haul provider identifier.

In step 518, the distribution management unit 116 gathers a distributionfacility identifier from the distribution facility using any of themethods of gathering an identifier previously described. Thedistribution identifier identifies the distribution facility where theproduct is stored before being delivered to the client. The identifiermay be generated by the identifier generating unit 216 or 314. After theidentifier is generated, the identifier may be adhered to thedistribution facility or a structure related to the distributionfacility to identify the distribution facility storing the product. Ifthe distribution facility has previously been allocated an identifier,the identifier reading unit 316 may read the identifier for use as thedistribution facility identifier.

In step 520, the distribution management unit 116 generates adistribution location identifier indicating the location in thedistribution facility where the product is stored. In one embodiment,the distribution identifier an distribution location identifier may bethe same identifier. The identifier may be generated by the identifiergenerating unit 216 or 314. After the identifier is generated, theidentifier may be adhered to the distribution facility location or astructure associated with the distribution facility location to identifythe location in the distribution facility where the product is stored.If the distribution facility location has previously been allocated anidentifier, the identifier reading unit 316 may read the identifier foruse as the distribution facility location identifier.

In step 522, the distribution management unit 116 generates adistribution provider identifier indicating a distributor that deliversthe product from the distribution location to the client. Thedistribution management unit 116 associates the distributor identifierwith the order in the information storage unit 214. The identifier maybe generated by the identifier generating unit 216 or 314. After theidentifier is generated, the identifier may be adhered to thedistribution provider to identify the distributor delivering theproduct. If the distribution facility location has previously beenallocated an identifier, the identifier reading unit 316 may read theidentifier for use as the distribution provider identifier.

In step 524, the distribution management unit 116 generates a clientidentifier gathered by the distribution provider that confirms theproduct is delivered to the client. Upon delivery of the product to theclient, the client identifier is gathered and the order is marked asdelivered. The identifier may be generated by the identifier generatingunit 216 or 314. After the identifier is generated, the identifier maybe adhered to the customer location or a structure associated with thecustomer to identify the customer receiving the product. If the customerhas previously been allocated an identifier, the identifier reading unit316 may read the identifier for use as the customer identifier.

In one embodiment, the information gathered by the provider trackingunit 112 gathers date and time information for each identifier enteredinto the system. The date and time information indicates the approximatedate and time a specific identifier is entered into the system. Bygathering different location, product and provider identifiers, anddate/time information the product tracking and location unit can trackthe history of the sourcing and delivery of the product. In oneembodiment, the information gathered by the provider tracking unit 112may be associated with environmental information to confirm theenvironmental conditions encountered by the product throughout thedelivery process.

In the event the product has been stored in a manner that isinconsistent with the client rules, the product may be quarantined andnot deliver to the customer. To quarantine the product, the providermanagement unit 112 may notify the distributor or aggregation facilityvia an electronic message, such as an e-mail, to move the product to apredefined quarantine location in the distribution facility oraggregation facility. The provider management unit 112 may generate anidentifier for the quarantine area in the aggregation or distributionfacility and may require the facility confirm the placement of theproduct into the quarantine area. In the event the product is in transitwhen the deviation from the client rule is identified, the providermanagement unit 112 may send an electronic transmission to the entitytransporting the product to take the product to a predeterminedquarantine location. The provider management unit 112 may also notifythe provider that a replacement of the product is required and maynotify the customer that the product delivery may be delayed. In theevent the provider cannot supply a replacement quantity, the providermanagement unit 112 may select an alternate provider to supply theproduct.

In another embodiment, the provider management unit 112 may identifyexact locations in the aggregation facilities and distributionfacilities where individual products or orders are stored prior todelivery. Consistent with this embodiment, the product tracking andlocation unit 118 may track where products are stored at differentfacilities to determine the locations having the capacity to store neworders. New orders for products are then scheduled for delivery at newfacilities based on current capacity at each facility. In anotherembodiment, the provider management unit 112 may generate a reportshowing the history of a product from acceptance at a supplier todelivery to a customer. In another embodiment, upon confirmation ofdelivery to a customer, the provider management unit 112 may generate aninvoice that is sent to the client for the product or productsdelivered. In another embodiment, the provider management unit 112 maygenerate a report identifying the supplier, distribution and aggregationfacility used to deliver products to each client.

FIG. 6 depicts another illustrative example of the operation of the APM100. In step 602, a provider identifier is entered into the providermanagement unit 114 and is associated with the provider of a product.The provider identifier may be any known identifier including, but notlimited to, a bar code or portion of a bar code, a quick response code,a radio frequency identifier or any other type of identifier. In step604, a product identifier is entered into the provider management unit112 and is associated with a product. The product identifier may be anyknown identifier including, but not limited to, a bar code or portion ofa bar code, a quick response code, a radio frequency identifier or anyother type of identifier.

In step 606, a product code is generated based on the provideridentifier and product identifier. In one embodiment, the provideridentifier and product identifier are combined to form a unique bar codenumber. The product identifier may be generated by the identifiergenerating unit 216 or 314. After the product identifier is generated,the product identifier may be adhered to the product or a containerholding the product to identify the product.

In step 608, the product code is assigned to a delivery of the productfrom the provider associated with the product code. As an illustrativeexample, a farm may be assigned a unique identifier and apples may beassigned a separate identifier which are both used to generate a uniqueproduct code indicating the apples associated with the product code arefrom the farmer.

In step 610, the product management unit 114 receives a product codefrom a distributor of the product. The product code from the distributormay be different than the product code assigned by the productmanagement unit 114. The distributor product code is used by thedistributor to identify the product from receipt of the product untilthe delivery to the customer. In one embodiment, the product code mayidentify the type and category of the product. In step 612, the productmanagement unit 114 associates the product code with the distributorproduct code. In one embodiment, the product delivered by the provideris marked with both the product code and the distributor product code.In step 614, the product management unit 114 tracks the location of theproduct delivery through the distribution and delivery process to acustomer. Because the system tracks both provider and product codesindependently of the distributor, the product management unit 114 candetermine the amount of a product provided from a provider to acustomer.

In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken toinclude both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference toplural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments disclosed herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosureand without diminishing its intended advantages. It is thereforeintended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A distributed computing system that practicallyapplies networked computing technology and machine-readable indicia tosupport traceability of products from providers to clients, the systemcomprising: a plurality of distributed computers for connection over anetwork, the distributed computers including first, second, third, andfourth computers; wherein the first computer comprises a memory, andwherein the first computer is configured to (1) receive an order for aproduct with respect to a client and (2) store data about the order inthe memory, the client having a plurality of associated client rules;wherein the first computer is configured to select a provider for theproduct; wherein the second computer includes a printer, the printerconfigured to print a machine-readable indicia to be adhered to theproduct or a container for the product, wherein the machine-readableindicia comprises a product identifier, wherein the product identifierencodes (1) provider information that identifies the selected provider,(2) location information that identifies a location of the selectedprovider, and (3) product information that identifies the product, andwherein the second computer is configured to communicate the productidentifier over the network to the first computer; wherein the firstcomputer is further configured to (1) associate the order with theproduct identifier in the memory and (2) associate the productinformation from the product identifier with a product type in thememory; wherein the first computer is further configured to associatethe order with a transport identifier, wherein the transport identifieridentifies an entity transporting the product from the provider to anaggregation facility; wherein the third computer, following a receipt ofthe product by the aggregation facility, is further configured tocommunicate an aggregation facility identifier for association with theproduct identifier to the first computer over the network, wherein theaggregation facility identifier identifies the aggregation facility thatreceived the product; wherein the first computer is further configuredto associate the order with the aggregation facility in the memory;wherein the first computer is further configured to associate the orderwith a back haul provider identifier, wherein the back haul provideridentifier identifies a back haul provider for delivering the productfrom the aggregation facility to a distribution facility; wherein thefourth computer, following a receipt of the product by the distributionfacility, is further configured to communicate a distribution facilityidentifier and a distribution location identifier for association withthe product identifier to the first computer over the network, whereinthe distribution facility identifier identifies the distributionfacility that received the product, and wherein the distributionlocation identifier identifies a location in the distribution facilitywhere the product is stored; wherein the first computer is furtherconfigured to (1) associate the order with the distribution facilityidentifier and the distribution location identifier, (2) determinewhether the location identified by the distribution location identifieris in compliance with the client rules, and (3) in response to adetermination that the location identified by the distribution locationidentifier is not in compliance with the client rules, electronicallynotify the provider that a replacement of the product is required; andwherein the first, second, third, and fourth computers cooperate witheach other to support compliance with the client rules and tracking ofthe order from the provider to the client through the transportingentity, aggregation facility, back haul provider, distribution facility,and distribution location via the machine-readable indicia and theassociations in the memory.
 2. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising: a second machine-readable indicia for adherence at thedistribution facility, wherein the second machine-readable indiciaencodes the distribution facility identifier, wherein the fourthcomputer includes a reader, wherein the reader is configured to read thesecond machine-readable indicia to gather the distribution facilityidentifier for communication to the first computer.
 3. The system ofclaim 2, further comprising: a third machine-readable indicia foradherence at the location in the distribution facility where the productis stored, wherein the third machine-readable indicia encodes thedistribution location identifier, and wherein the reader is furtherconfigured to read the third machine-readable indicia to gather thedistribution location identifier for communication to the firstcomputer.
 4. The system of claim 2, further comprising: a thirdmachine-readable indicia for adherence at the aggregation facility,wherein the third machine-readable indicia encodes the aggregationfacility identifier, wherein the third computer includes a secondreader, and wherein the second reader is further configured to read thethird machine-readable indicia to gather the aggregation facilityidentifier for communication to the first computer.
 5. The system ofclaim 2, wherein the distributed computing system further comprises afifth computer for communication with the network; wherein the fifthcomputer is configured to communicate the transport identifier forassociation with the product identifier to the first computer over thenetwork.
 6. The system of claim 5, further comprising: a thirdmachine-readable indicia for adherence to equipment used by the entityto transport the product from the provider to the aggregation facility,wherein the third machine-readable indicia encodes the transportidentifier, wherein the fifth computer includes a second reader, andwherein the second reader is further configured to read the thirdmachine-readable indicia to gather the transport identifier forcommunication to the first computer.
 7. The system of claim 2, whereinthe distributed computing system further comprises a fifth computer forcommunication with the network; wherein the fifth computer is configuredto communicate the back haul provider identifier for association withthe product identifier to the first computer over the network.
 8. Thesystem of claim 7, further comprising: a third machine-readable indiciafor adherence to equipment used by the back haul provider to deliver theproduct from the aggregation facility to the distribution facility,wherein the third machine-readable indicia encodes the back haulprovider identifier, wherein the fifth computer includes a secondreader, and wherein the second reader is further configured to read thethird machine-readable indicia to gather the back haul provideridentifier for communication to the first computer.
 9. The system ofclaim 2, wherein the distributed computing system further comprises afifth computer for communication with the network; wherein the fifthcomputer is configured to communicate a client identifier forassociation with the product identifier to the first computer over thenetwork; and wherein the first computer is further configured toassociate the order with the client identifier to confirm delivery ofthe product to the client.
 10. The system of claim 9, furthercomprising: a third machine-readable indicia for adherence at a locationof the client, wherein the third machine-readable indicia encodes theclient identifier, wherein the fifth computer includes a second reader,and wherein the second reader is further configured to read the thirdmachine-readable indicia to gather the client identifier forcommunication to the first computer.
 11. The system of claim 1, whereinthe third computer is further configured to communicate an aggregationlocation identifier for association with the product identifier to thefirst computer over the network, wherein the aggregation locationidentifier identifies a location in the aggregation facility where theproduct is stored; and wherein the first computer is further configuredto (1) associate the order with the aggregation location identifier, (2)determine whether the location identified by the aggregation locationidentifier is in compliance with the client rules, and (3) in responseto a determination that the location identified by the aggregationlocation identifier is not in compliance with the client rules (i)electronically notify the provider that a replacement of the product isrequired and (ii) electronically notify the client that delivery of theproduct may be delayed.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the firstcomputer is further configured to select the provider in accordance withthe client rules.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first computeris further configured to select the provider in accordance with theclient rules in response to a response by the provider to a quote. 14.The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer is further configuredto select the aggregation facility in accordance with the client rules.15. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer is furtherconfigured to select a distributor in accordance with the client rules,wherein the distribution facility corresponds to the selecteddistributor.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer isconfigured to select the back haul provider in accordance with theclient rules.
 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer isfurther configured to select the provider based on a rule within theclient rules that defines a geographical region from which the productmust originate.
 18. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer isfurther configured to, in response to a determination that the locationidentified by the distribution location identifier is not in compliancewith the client rules, electronically notify the client that delivery ofthe product may be delayed.
 19. The system of claim 1, wherein theprovider information comprises a provider code, wherein the locationinformation comprises a location code, and wherein the productinformation comprises a product code.
 20. The system of claim 1, whereinthe machine-readable indicia comprises a bar code.
 21. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the machine-readable indicia comprises a QR code. 22.The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable indicia comprises anRFID tag.
 23. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readableindicia comprises a smart tag.
 24. The system of claim 1, wherein thememory comprises a relational database.
 25. The system of claim 1,wherein the product comprises an agricultural product.
 26. The system ofclaim 25, wherein the provider is a farm.
 27. The system of claim 1,wherein the product comprises produce, meat, poultry, and/or a dairyproduct.
 28. A distributed computing system that practically appliesnetworked computing technology and machine-readable indicia to supporttraceability of products from providers to clients, the systemcomprising: a plurality of distributed computers for connection over anetwork, the distributed computers including first, second, third, andfourth computers; wherein the first computer comprises a memory, andwherein the first computer is configured to (1) receive an order for aproduct with respect to a client and (2) store data about the order inthe memory, the client having a plurality of associated client rules;wherein the first computer is configured to select a provider for theproduct; wherein the second computer includes a printer, the printerconfigured to print a machine-readable indicia to be adhered to theproduct or a container for the product, wherein the machine-readableindicia comprises a product identifier, wherein the product identifierencodes (1) provider information that identifies the selected provider,(2) location information that identifies a location of the selectedprovider, and (3) product information that identifies the product, andwherein the second computer is configured to communicate the productidentifier over the network to the first computer; wherein the firstcomputer is further configured to (1) associate the order with theproduct identifier in the memory and (2) associate the productinformation from the product identifier with a product type in thememory; wherein the first computer is further configured to associatethe order with a transport identifier, wherein the transport identifieridentifies an entity transporting the product from the provider to anaggregation facility; wherein the third computer, following a receipt ofthe product by the aggregation facility, is further configured tocommunicate an aggregation facility identifier for association with theproduct identifier to the first computer over the network, wherein theaggregation facility identifier identifies the aggregation facility thatreceived from the product; wherein the first computer is furtherconfigured to associate the order with the aggregation facility in thememory; wherein the fourth computer, following a receipt of the productby a distribution facility, is further configured to communicate adistribution facility identifier for association with the productidentifier to the first computer over the network, wherein thedistribution facility identifier identifies the distribution facilitythat received the product; wherein the first computer is furtherconfigured to (1) associate the order with the distribution facilityidentifier, (2) select a location in the distribution facility fromamong a plurality of locations in the distribution facility for storingthe product in accordance with the client rules, and (3) electronicallynotify the distribution facility that the product must be stored in theselected location; wherein the first computer is configured to (1) trackthe product by reading the product identifier and at least one of theother identifiers during the delivery of the product from the providerto the distribution facility, wherein each identifier is encoded by oneof a bar code, QR code, RFID tag, or smart tag, (2) determine based onthe tracking whether the client rules have been violated, and (3) inresponse to a determination that the client rules have been violated,electronically notify the provider that a replacement of the product isrequired.
 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the first computer isfurther configured to determine the aggregation facility at least inpart based on the provider information and product information.
 30. Thesystem of claim 29, wherein the first computer is configured todetermine equipment to be used for transporting the product at least inpart based on the product information and the determined aggregationfacility.
 31. The system of claim 29, wherein the first computer isfurther configured to determine a location for storage of the product inthe aggregation facility based at least in part on the productinformation.
 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the third computer isfurther configured to read the aggregation facility identifier andidentify the location in the aggregation facility where the product isstored.
 33. The system for of claim 32, wherein the first computer isfurther configured to confirm that the identified location for storageof the product in the aggregation facility is the same as the determinedlocation for storage of the product in the aggregation facility.
 34. Thesystem of claim 32, wherein each identifier is encoded as a bar code.35. The system of claim 32, wherein each identifier is of a differentformat.
 36. The system of claim 28, wherein the product comprisesproduce, meat, a dairy product, and/or poultry.
 37. The system of claim28, wherein the first computer is further configured to, in response toa determination that the client rules have been violated, electronicallynotify the client that delivery of the product may be delayed.
 38. Thesystem of claim 28, wherein the provider information comprises aprovider code, wherein the location information comprises a locationcode, and wherein the product information comprises a product code.